Using veggies to replace pasta is nothing new for me. I have been roasting spaghetti squash for years to use in place of spaghetti and I often sub eggplant for lasagna noodles. Noodles made with zucchini, often called Zoodles though have been on my to try list for years. Then all of the sudden in the last year or so they were everywhere and I was left pondering, How to make Zoodles?

There are different ways to make Zoodles. The one I have heard about the most is to use a Paderno Spiralizer but really didn’t want to spend $40 for another kitchen gadget that I had no clue where i would keep. A cheaper option was the As Seen on TV, Veggetti. I know several people who have bought it and loved it but it still left me with a new kitchen gadget that I would have to find a home for in my overflowing cupboards. Seriously, my husbands questions why I have so much stuff and from time to time he asks why do you even have this? So I was thinking maybe something smaller like a Julienne Peeler. They are small, cheap and would definitely do the trick. Then I remembered that I already had something that might work, my mandoline! I didn’t need to buy anything at all just experiment and figure out what worked best to figure out, How to make Zoodles!

First, I gathered my supplies. 3 small-medium zucchinis, knife, cutting board and colander. To make zoodles it is up to you if you want to peel your zucchini or not. I chose to keep my peel on. I rarely peel zucchini.

I tested out my large grater blade first but I felt my zoodles were too thin.

So I went to the Julienne Blade

and it seemed to do the trick.

The thing to remember is you want to make one smooth swipe the length of the full zucchini down the mandoline. If you are using a larger zucchini rotate your zucchini to the next side to avoid seeds. You do not want the seeds… the seedy parts of zucchini do not like becoming noodles.

Once you have turned your zucchini into noodles place your zoodles into a colander and lightly salt your zoodles. I used about a teaspoon for my 3 zucchinis.

You want to draw out as much moisture as you can before cooking. I found it was best to let the zoodles sit for 30 minutes or longer.

After your zoodles have sweated place on a paper towel and pat as much moisture out as you can.

Then all there is left to do is cook your noodles, if desired. The zoodles can be eaten raw or cooked. They can even be cooked a couple different ways. You can add to boiling salted water like traditional pasta and cook for 2-15 minutes depending on your zoodles or you can do like I did and sauté them for a couple minutes.

To saute depending on the amount of zoodles you are making you add 1-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, Butter/Ghee or even Bacon Fat to a sauté pan and heat on Medium-High heat. Once your oil is hot add your zoodles and sauté for 5-6 minutes string often to prevent sticking. Then serve in your favorite way to enjoy pasta.